At the heart of Mr Cameron’s speech was the suggestion that young people would not longer be eligible for welfare including housing benefit and unemployment payments.

“Today it is still possible to leave school, sign on, find a flat, start claiming housing benefit and opt for a life on benefits. It’s time for bold action here,” he said. “We should ask, as we write our next manifesto, if that option should really exist at all.”

Instead, the party should give young people a “clear, positive choice” to go to school or college, do an apprenticeship or get a job.

“But just choose the dole? We’ve got to offer them something better than that,” he said.

Denying young people welfare is not “callous”, Mr Cameron said.

“Think about it: with your children, would you dream of just leaving them to their own devices, not getting a job, not training, nothing? No – you’d nag and push and guide and do anything to get them on their way… and so must we.”

He added: “So this is what we want to see: everyone under 25 – earning or learning.”